Video Games
‘The Last of Us’ Multiplayer Project Cancelled
Despite what Naughty Dog’s Vinit Agarwal said last month, the developer has now officially cancelled the multiplayer project for The Last of Us. Naughty Dog broke the news via their official blog, citing the game’s “massive scope” and the amount of resources that would be required to develop the project.
“We know this news will be tough for many, especially our dedicated The Last of Us Factions community, who have been following our multiplayer ambitions ardently,” reads the statement “We’re equally crushed at the studio as we were looking forward to putting it in your hands.”
The project, which had been in development at the same time as The Last of Us Part II, had been rumbling as far back as 2019. Leaked footage of the project eventually showed up online, but the project itself wasn’t officially confirmed until 2022.
“The multiplayer team has been in pre-production with this game since we were working on The Last of Us Part II – crafting an experience we felt was unique and had tremendous potential. As the multiplayer team iterated on their concept for The Last of Us Online during this time, their vision crystalized, the gameplay got more refined and satisfying, and we were enthusiastic about the direction in which we were headed.”
However, according to the post, as the team ramped up to full production, the reality of the required scope set in. “To release and support The Last of Us Online we’d have to put all our studio resources behind supporting post launch content for years to come, severely impacting development on future single-player games. So, we had two paths in front of us: become a solely live service games studio or continue to focus on single-player narrative games that have defined Naughty Dog’s heritage.”
No doubt it’s a disappointing end for fans looking to revisit the Factions component from the original game. What stings even more is the fact that the original Factions servers were shut down in 2019.
In a “silver lining” moment, Naughty Dog did confirm in the blog post that they are currently working on several single player games. That includes a brand new single player game that they will share more info on once the time is right.
Meanwhile, Naughty Dog is still prepping for the release of The Last of Us Part II Remastered, which is scheduled for release on the PlayStation 5 on January 19, 2024.
Moon Studios dropped a new trailer during the Sony State of Play for their dark action-RPG No Rest for the Wicked, while also hinting at the long-awaited launch window for the full 1.0 release. The game, which has been in Early Access on Steam since April 2024, will be launching this October in full for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam, while versions for the Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2 will arrive at a later date.
As a token of appreciation for supporters new and old, Moon Studios is offering an exclusive Early Access Founder’s Pack, a free limited edition bundle available for anyone who purchases the game on Steam prior to July 10, with rewards unlocking when 1.0 officially launches. PlayStation 5 users can receive the Early Access Founder’s Pack by pre-ordering the game once available, any time before launch day.
The Founder’s Pack includes:
- A New Secret Hideout: Spirit Cavern – The legacy of Moon Studios now lives inside No Rest for the Wicked, exclusively for Founders. A hand-crafted home that bridges both worlds.
- Sayer’s Vow: An all new Sword in the stone reserved just for the founders that only early adopters can extract in the game world.
- A Custom Founders Tag ensures players are clearly identified as early adopters.
- As a Founder member, players will get access to an exclusive Public Beta Test Realm reserved just for them, even after the 1.0 game launch.
As for the full 1.0 release, it will be a massive expansion of the core experience, introducing a staggering 60+ hours of new content, a new horde mode, powerful new weapons, bosses and enemies, new areas and a completely reimagined class system.
In No Rest for the Wicked, players take on the role of a “Cerim,” a member of a holy order imbued with mysterious powers, tasked with destroying the Pestilence, an ancient plague that has begun to consume the island Isola Sacra, itself already the site of great political upheaval and death.